Package for ampoules

ABSTRACT

A PACKAGE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AMPOULES IN THE FORM OF A RECTANGULAR BOX HAVING UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS, THE AMPOULES BEING RETAINED BY RESILIENT LUGS LOCATED IN PAIRS. THE LUGS GRIP THE CYLINDRICAL PORTIONS OF THE AMPOULES ONLY NEAR THE BOTTOM THEREOF MAND NEAR THE NECK, A SPACE BEING LEFT BETWEEN THE LUGS. AT THE SAME LOCATION AS AND CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE SPACE, SLOTS ARE FORMED TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP EDGE, SO THAT A MARKING   MEMBER MAY BE MOVED LATERALLY OF THE BOX, THROUGH THE SLOTS, AND IN CONTACT WITH THE AMPOULES, TO MARK THEM. THE AMPOULES MAY BE SUPPORTED ON BARS TO ROTATES AS THE MARKING MEMBER PASSES IN CONTACT THEREWITH.

Sept. 20, 1971 G. RAYBOIS PACKAGE FOR AMPOULES Filed. Aug. 15. 1969 m fl .80 M M 9M M E m 9 Z United States Patent Office 3,606,006 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,006 PACKAGE FOR AMPOULES Georges Raybois, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Parisienne dExpansion Chimique S.P.E.C.I.A., Paris, France Filed Aug. 15, 1969, Ser. No. 850,441 Claims priority, application France, Apr. 23, 1969, 6912816 Int. Cl. B65d 1/36 US. Cl. 206-72 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package for pharmaceutical ampoules in the form of a rectangular box having upstanding side walls, the ampoules being retained by resilient lugs located in pairs. The lugs grip the cylindrical portions of the ampoules only near the bottom thereof and near the neck, a space being left between the lugs. At the same location as and co-extensive with the space, slots are formed to extend downwardly from the top edge, so that a marking member may be moved laterally of the box, through the slots, and in contact with the ampoules, to mark them. The ampoules may be supported on bars to rotate as the marking member passes in contact therewith.

The present invention concerns a package for pharmaceutical ampoules or the like, more particularly permitting them to be marked when in position.

According to the present invention there is provided a package for pharmaceutical ampoules, of a circular crosssection, having a substantially cylindrical portion of a given diameter and a neck portion, such package comprising a box having walls upstanding from a base and of a height greater than the diameter of the cylindrical portion, juxtaposed compartments defined by upstanding partitions substantially of the same height as the walls and parallel to the side walls, resilient lugs positioned in pairs spaced apart from one another and having an enlarged portion for holding each ampoule in position, the enlarged portions of a pair of lugs being directed towards one another, so as to retain the cylindrical portion of ampoule only in the vicinity of the bottom of the cylindrical portion and of the junction of the neck portion with the cylindrical portion, and slots formed in the side walls to extend downwardly from the upper edge thereof, the length of the slots being substantially coextensive with the spacing between the pairs of lugs, the bottoms of. the slots being below the tops of ampoules of said given diameter when retained by said lugs in said box so that a marking member may be passed laterally with respect to the box, through said slots, and in contact with the ampoules.

The upper part of the cylindrical portion of the ampoules is, therefore, above the plane through the bottom of the slots. Preferably, laterally extending bars are formed on the base for limiting the displacement of each ampoule.

The ampoules resting on the bars can rotate about their axis without rubbing on the bottom of the box. Consequently, it is possible by passing a box filled with ampoules below an inking pad device to mark the ampoules without the impression becoming obliterated.

The assembly can then be introduced into an individual pack or a pack formed by grouping a plurality of boxes of this type.

Thus it is possible rapidly to mark even very small lots of ampoules whilst they are in their final packing article, which is often of great practical advantage.

In order that the invention may more fully be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of package according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-section through an ampoule held in the package; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the box showing an ampoule in position, the box being fitted in a pack.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the package comprises a rectangular protective box 10 of resilient material, the said box having side walls 11 and end walls 11A each having a height greater than the height of the objects e.g. ampoules 16 to be protected.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the ampoules to be packaged are of a generally circular cross-section and include a cylindrical portion 16A and a neck portion 163. The box is divided into compartments, each intended to receive one of the ampoules, by one or more partitions 12 perpendicular to the base of the box and having substantially the same height as the side and end walls. Each individual compartment comprises appropriately positioned resilient lugs 13 perpendicular to the base of the box, the height of the lugs being slightly smaller than that of the box. The lugs 13 are arranged in pairs and include enlarged portions 15, the enlarged portions of the lugs of a pair being directed towards one another. As can be seen from FIG. 3 the lugs are disposed so as to retain the cylindrical portion 16A only in the vicinity of the bottom thereof and in the vicinity of the junction of the cylindrical portion with the neck portion. Thus a spacing exists between the lugs.

Extending between the lugs of each pair from the base 7 of the box are bars 9, upon which the cylindrical portion 16A of the ampoules rest. In addition, chocks 14 are provided by means of which the ampoule to be protected is conveniently held fast in each compartment and any longitudinal movement is prevented.

The side walls 11 are formed with slots 8 and 8', which are located in such a position and are of such a length as to be substantially coextensive with the spacing between the lugs 13. The partitions 12 are of such a length as not to extend into this spacing. Thus, when the ampoules are in position, resting on the bars 9, a marking member e.g. an inking pad, can be moved laterally through the slots 8 and 8'. The top surface of the ampoules are above the bottom of the slots so that the inking pad can contact the ampoules, causing them to rotate on the bars 9, and applying a suitable marking thereto which will not be rubbed olf. It will be appreciated that the bars 9 also serve to lift the ampoules above the level of the base 7, so as to protect them from shocks.

The box described may be constructed of any suitable material, and various elements may be assembled in the most convenient manner. However, the box is preferably made of a resilient plastics material. Boxes according to the invention may thus be produced by moulding, notably by injection moulding.

Any strong, resilient plastics materials as suitable: polystyrene, in particular so-called shock-resistant polystyrene; vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride polymers and copolymers, the polyolefins, in particular so-called low-pressure polyethylene and the polyamides must be mentioned as suitable. Of course, these plastics materials may be coloured, provided with loading agents or pigments, stabilised, or plasticised by the methods usual for this type of object.

The protective box may receive a lid consisting of any material, or it may be introduced into a simple case, for example of cardboard.

The box may be closed by a cover of like nature and since the base of the body of the box unlike many prior cardboard packages, has no holes in it. One may thus obthe accompanying tain a completely fluid-tight packing. If desired the lid may be transparent, so that the contents can be' seen.

The objects to be packed are simply pressed between the lugs, which maintain them in position by their own resilience. The packing of the objects is therefore very rapidly effected and any lateral or longitudinal movement is impossible, so that any inscriptions on the objects are not likely to be effaced.

EXAMPLE By way of example, a box as shown in the figures was designed for ampoules of the 1 cm. bottle type. It had external dimensions of 73 mm. x 60 mm., height 12 mm. The partitions 12 had the same height as the walls (12 mm). The lugs 13 had a spacing of 7 mm. between their thickened portions 15 which were situated in each case 8 mm. from the base 7, so as to hold the ampoule in position at its cylindrical portion, which was 8 mm. in diameter. A pair of lugs held the ampoule in the region of its portion near the neck, and another pair at the portion near the bottom. The curvatures of the lugs and the ampoule were different, so as to hold the ampoule only at three points. The bars 9 were 5 mm. in length, 1 mm. in width, 1 mm. in height, and chocks 14 prevented longitudinal sliding of the ampoule.

The slots 8 and 8 were 15 mm. in length and 5 mm. in depth.

The ampoules were marked in position by sliding the box under a rubber-covered roller bearing an inscription. tion.

Two of these boxes were placed on one another and combined in a folding carton, thus forming a pack of ampoules.

The assembly was made of injection-moulded shockresistant polystyrene, and the bottom of the box, the sides and partitions were 1 mm. in thickness.

What I claim is:

1. In a package for pharmaceutical ampoules of a circular cross-section having a substantially cylindrical portion of a given diameter and a neck portion, the package comprising a box, a base to said box, resilient lugs, upstanding from said base, positioned in pairs which are aligned longitudinally of the base spaced apart from one another to define a spacing there between, the lugs also being arranged in pairs transversely of the box with each pair being spaced apart from one another by an equal distance and adapted to receive an ampoule therebetween, upstanding side and end walls to said box having a height greater than said distance, upstanding partitions substantially of the same height as said side and end walls and substantially parallel to the side walls effective to define juxtaposed compartments to said box, enlarged portions adjacent the upper ends of said lugs, the enlarged portion of the two lugs of a transverse pair being directed toward one another adapted to retain the cylindrical portion of the ampoule therebetween only in the vicinity of the bottom of the cylindrical portion and in the vicinity of the junction between the neck portion and the cylindrical portion, top edges to said walls, the improvement consisting (a) a laterally extending bar formed on the base of the box between the lugs of each transverse pair adapted to support the cylindrical portion of an ampoule for rotation when retained by said lugs in said box;

(b) slots formed in said side 'walls to extend downwardly from the top edges thereof, the length and location of said slots being substantially co-extensive with the spacing between the longitudinally spaced pairs of lugs;

(c) bottoms to said slots located at a level above said bars less than said distance, whereby a marking member may be passed laterally with respect to said box through said slots and in contact with ampoules supported on said bars.

23A package according to claim 1 and further comprising chocks on said base adapted to limit the displacement of each said ampoule.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,135,383 6/1964 Bloch 20675 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,054,910 1/1967 Great Britain 206(A) LEONARD SUMMER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 206--65A 

